Sear-disconnector for lever-action firearms

ABSTRACT

A sear-disconnector for lever-action firearms for preventing accidental discharge of the firearm when the finger-lever is manipulated in order to load the chamber and cock the hammer, wherein the trigger is mounted on the finger-lever and is provided with a plunger which is normally located in an actuating position to disengage the sear from the hammer, but which resiliently engages an abutment surface on the sear if the trigger is retracted as the finger-lever is being closed, thereby preventing the plunger from moving into its actuating position until the trigger is released.

United States Patent Seecamp SEAR-DISCONNECTOR FOR LEVER-ACTION FIREARMS [75] Inventor: Louis W. Seecamp, New Haven,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: 0. F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., North Haven, Conn.

22 Filed: Mar. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 344,936

[52] US. Cl. 42/69 B [51] Int. Cl. F4lc 19/00 [58] Field of Search 42/69 B, 69 A [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,765,561 10/1956 Morris 42/69 B 3,092,924 6/1963 Seecamp 3,377,731 4/1968 Lawrence 42/69 B 3,471,961 10/1969 Lewis 42/69 B Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Steward & Steward 5 7] ABSTRACT A sear-disconnector for lever-action firearms for preventing accidental discharge of the firearm when the finger-lever is manipulated in order to load the chamber and cock the hammer, wherein the trigger is mounted on the finger-lever and is provided with a plunger which is normally located in an actuating position to disengage the sear from the hammer, but which resiliently engages an abutment surface on the sear if the trigger is retracted as the finger-lever is being closed, thereby preventing the plunger from moving into its actuating position until the trigger is released.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SEAR-DISCONNECTOR FOR LEVER-ACTION FIREARMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to firing mechanisms for firearms, and it relates more particularly to what is commonly known as a sear-disconnector for assuring that after the gun is loaded, it can be fired only when the trigger is retracted through the full extent of its travel.

Disconnectors are always employed in semiautomatic guns in order to prevent the gun from firing completely automatically as long as the trigger is held in its retracted position, but in repeating firearms which are manually actuated sear-disconnectors are necessary only as safety devices for preventing accidental discharge of the gun if the trigger is held in a retracted position at the time the chamber is loaded and closed. For example, in a lever-action rifle where the trigger is mounted on a finger-lever so that it moves out of engagement with the sear as the lever is actuated, a disconnector should be provided in order to prevent the gun from being accidentally fired on return of the finger-lever to its normal, closed position when it is actuated to chamber a fresh cartridge. Since it is not uncommon for the shooter to keep his finger on the trigger when he operates the lever and in doing so to press the trigger into its retracted position while closing the finger-lever, the trigger can disengage the sear from the hammer as the finger-lever carries it into its operative position. Under such circumstances, some means for disconnecting the sear from the trigger should be provided so that the trigger does not disengage the sear from the hammer or striker as the trigger is brought into engagement with it.

.The US. Pat. to Lawrence No. 3,377,731 shows a sear-disconnector for a lever-action firearm in which a sear-link is pivotally mounted on the trigger so that if the trigger is in its retracted position when the fingerlever closes, the sear-link is positioned to engage the sear in such a way that the sear can not be dislodged from cocking engagement with the hammer until the trigger is released by the shooter. An object of the pres ent invention is to provide a simpler means for preventing actuation of the sear under similar circumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Basically the present invention resides in the provi- 'sion of a sear-disconnector comprising a spring-detent plunger mounted on the trigger at a position such that when the finger-lever is closed and the trigger is released, the end of the plunger will extend into a searactuating position adjacent an actuating surface on the sear with its longitudinal axis parallel thereto, the actuating surface on the sear being disposed transversely of the path through which the sear is moved into and out of engagement with the firing piece, such as a hammer or striker. The detent plunger is also disposed so that when it is in its sear-actuating position and the trigger is drawn toward its retracted position, the plunger is moved laterally against the actuating surface on the sear in order to positively move the sear out of engagement with the firing piece.

The sear also has an abutment surface immediately adjacent its actuating surface for engagement by the free end of the trigger detent plunger only when the finger-lever is being closed. The abutment surface on the sear extends transversely of the actuating surface so that as the finger-lever closes and carries the free end of the plunger into engagement with the abutment surface, the plunger is resiliently depressed into a recess in the trigger without disengaging the sear from the cocking notch in the hammer. Consequently, as long as the trigger is retracted, the detent plunger is prevented from moving endwise into its sear-actuating position, but if the trigger is free to pivot or is released, the plunger is moved laterally off the abutment surface on the sear as the trigger pivots into its normal, unretracted position, permitting the plunger to return to its sear-actuating position. A particularly desirable aspect of the present invention resides in the fact that when the detent plunger is depressed, the trigger is urged by the plunger toward its normal position, eliminating the need for a trigger-return spring. Other advantages of the invention are its mechanical simplicity, reliability and small manufacturing cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION These and other advantages, as well as objects, of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description hereinafter of one embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the receiver portion of a lever-action firearm, showing the firing mechanism of the gun including the seardisconnector of the present invention, the finger-lever being shown closed and the hammer cocked and ready to fire;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the sear disengaged from the hammer upon retraction of the trigger with the hammer in motion just before it strikes the firing pin;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the finger-lever in a partially open position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the trigger in a retracted position at the moment the fingerlever closes;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the sear, trigger and disconnector plunger, showing the relationship of these parts to each other.

The drawings show the firing mechanism for a leveraction rifle 10, having a hollow frame or receiver 12, a butt-stock l4 and a barrel 16 (partially shown in FIG. 1) extending forward from receiver 12. A finger-lever 18 is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin 20 on the underside of receiver 12 for pivotal movement from a closed position (FIG. 1) to an open position in which it extends downward. In its normal closed position finger-lever l8 rests snuggly against the underside of receiver 12 and extends rearwardly along the grip portion of the stock 14. A bolt-reciprocating arm 22 on fingerlever 18 extends forward and upward beyond pivot pin 20 for engagement at its end with a breech bolt 24. When finger-lever 18 is pivoted clockwise as shown in the drawings to its open position, bolt 24 is retracted by arm 22 in order to open the action and to cook a hammer 26 pivotally mounted on a hammer pin 28 in receiver 12.

Hammer 26 is urged counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 by a hammer spring 30 and springplunger 32 into striking engagement with the rear end of a firing pin 34 extending through bolt 24 and projecting rearward from the exposed end thereof when the gun is ready to be fired. A vertical bolt-lock 36 is slidably supported in receiver 12 for movement into a locking recess 38 in the under side of bolt 24, thereby locking bolt 24 in its battery position when a cartridge is fired. As finger-lever 18 closes completely, bolt-lock 36 is driven into locking position with bolt 24 by an upwardly projecting hook-shaped lug 40 on the upper side of finger-lever 18. The lower end of bolt-lock 36 is provided with a corresponding hook 42 with which lug 40 meshes as finger-lever l8 latches closed, such that on opening finger-lever l8 bolt-lock 36 is immediately drawn down out of locking engagement with bolt 24 so that it can be retracted during the remainder of the opening stroke of the finger-lever. A spring-loaded retaining plunger 44 is provided below lug 40 for engagement at its outer end with a latch pin 46 mounted on receiver 12 for retaining finger-lever 18 closed.

Hammer 26 is provided with the usual sear notch 48 for engagement by the nose of a sear 50, which in this instance is pivotally mounted at its opposite end on a sear pin 52 supported at both ends in receiver 12. A sear spring 54 urges the nose of sear 50 clockwise as here viewed into engagement with hammer 26. Sear spring 54 is a torsion spring mounted on pin 52 with one end engaging a portion of receiver 12 and the other pressing upwardly against the under side of sear 50. A trigger 55 is mounted on finger-lever 18 for movement therewith into and out of actuating relationship with sear 50. In this instance trigger 55 is pivotally mounted on a pin 56 for pivotal movement between its retracted and released positions.

Trigger 55 is provided with a detent plunger 58, one end of which projects upward from an elongated recess 60 (FIG. in the trigger into operative engagement with a depending lip 62 on the underside of sear 50. A compression spring 64 at the bottom of recess 60 urges plunger 58 outwardly toward a sear-actuating position, where on retraction of trigger 55 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1, it is moved laterally against an actuating surface 66 on the back side of the sear lip 62, thereby pivoting sear 50 in a counterclockwise direction out of cocking engagement with hammer 26. As illustrated in FIG. 5, actuating surface 66 on sear 50 is disposed at an angle to, or more or less transversely of, the direction in which sear 50 moves into and out of cocking engagement with hammer 26, so that lateral movement of plunger 58 results in a corresponding movement of the sear. It will also be noted that plunger 58 is disposed substantially parallel with actuating surface 66, so that as pressure is applied by plunger 58 on the sear as trigger 55 is retracted, the reaction force on plunger 58 is directed transversely of its longitudinal axis so that the plunger is not depressed inward against spring 64.

The depending lip 62 of sear 50 also has a so-called abutment surface 68 at its lower end immediately adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the actuating surface 66. When hammer 26 is cocked by actuation of finger-lever l8, sear 50 pivots under the urge of spring 54 into its normal cocking position. At the same time trigger 55 moves completely out of operative relationship with sear 50 and, when finger-lever 18 is returned 6 to its closed position, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the free end of plunger 58 is brought into engagement with the abutment surface 68 of sear 50.

Thus, if the trigger is held in its retracted position at the moment the finger-lever is being latched closed (FIG. 4), the free end of plunger 58 will engage abutment surface 68 at the lower end of the sear lip 62, causing plunger 58 to be depressed into its recess 60 in the trigger until trigger is released. It will be noted that the abutment surface 68 is disposed on sear 50 so that when the free end of plunger 58 comes in contact with it, sear 50 is urged clockwise deeper into engagement with hammer 26. The plunger 58, therefore, acts to prevent the trigger from accidentally releasing the hammer at the instant the finger-lever is closed by movement of the trigger into engagement with the sear.

If, however, the shooter intends to fire the gun, he may do so simply by releasing the trigger and retracting it again. It will be noted that due to the angle at which surface 68 is disposed, and to the fact that the longitudinal axis of spring plunger 58 passes to one side of the trigger pin 56, the trigger is urged clockwise by plunger 58, so that when the shooter releases the trigger it immediately pivots clockwise to its unretracted position, carrying plunger 58 laterally off abutment surface 68 and into engagement with the actuating surface 66 on sear 50. If desired a trigger spring may be used to urge the trigger toward its unretracted position even when the finger-lever is open, but this is not essential. The abutment surface 68 is also disposed so that any force exerted against it tends to force sear 50 into cocking engagement with the hammer, rather than out of engagement with it, thereby ensuring that the hammer can not be released accidentally when the trigger is moved back into operative relation with the sear on closing the finger-lever.

What is claimed is:

1. In a firing mechanism for a lever-action firearm having a frame, a firing piece, a finger-lever pivotally mounted on said frame for actuation between open and closed positions in order to chamber a cartridge and cock said firing piece, a sear mounted on said frame for movement through a predetermined path into and out of cocking engagement with said firing piece, a trigger mounted on said finger-lever and bodily movable therewith into and out of operative relation with said sear, said trigger being also movable on said finger-lever between retracted and released positions, and a seardisconnector for preventing release of said firing piece from such cocking engagement when said finger-lever is actuated with said trigger retracted,

the improvement wherein said sear-disconnector comprises a detent plunger mounted within a recess in said trigger for movement along a longitudinal axis into and out of a sear-actuating position, said plunger having a free end projecting outward of said recess when said plunger is in its searactuating position,

spring means for resiliently urging said detent plunger into said sear-actuating position,

said sear having an actuating surface extending transversely of its path of movement and an abutment surface disposed substantially perpendicular to said actuating surface and immediately adjacent thereto in the direction in which said detent plunger moves when said trigger is retracted,

the projecting end of said detent plunger being normally disposed adjacent said actuating surface of said sear with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said actuating surface when said fingerlever is closed, such that on retraction of said trigger said plunger is moved laterally against said actuating surface in order to positively move said sear out of engagement with said firing piece, 5

said detent plunger being disposed for axial engagement at its said free end with said abutment surface on said sear as said finger-lever is pivoted closed while said trigger is retracted, thereby depressing said plunger axially out of its sear-actuating position during the final increment of movement of said finger-lever into its closed position until said trigger is moved to its released position causing said detent plunger to move laterally off said abutment surface in the direction of said actuating surface so that said detent plunger can return to its sear-actuating position.

2. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said trigger is pivotally mounted and said firing piece is a pivoted hammer mounted on said frame, said sear being pivotally mounted at one end with a nose-portion at its other for cocking engagement with said hammer and having a depending lip portion intermediate its ends forming said actuating and abutment surfaces.

3. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein said trigger is free to pivot between its said retracted and released positions when said finger-lever is pivoted out of its closed position and said detent plunger is moved out of operative relation with said sear, the longitudinal axis of said detent plunger being offset from the point about which said trigger is pivoted in a direction to urge said trigger toward its released position when said detent plunger is depressed.

4. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein said abutment surface is disposed such that the force exerted on it by said detent plunger urges said sear toward cocking engagement with said hammer. 

1. In a firing mechanism for a lever-action firearm having a frame, a firing piece, a finger-lever pivotally mounted on said frame for actuation between open and closed positions in order to chamber a cartridge and cock said firing piece, a sear mounted on said frame for movement through a predetermined path into and out of cocking engagement with said firing piece, a trigger mounted on said finger-lever and bodily movable therewith into and out of operative relation with said sear, said trigger being also movable on said finger-lever between retracted and released positions, and a sear-disconnector for preventing release of said firing piece from such cocking engagement when said finger-lever is actuated with said trigger retracted, the improvement wherein said sear-disconnector comprises a detent plunger mounted within a recess in said trigger for movement along a longitudinal axis into and out of a searactuating position, said plunger having a free end projecting outward of said recess when said plunger is in its searactuating position, spring means for resiliently urging said detent plunger into said sear-actuating position, said sear having an actuating surface extending transversely of its path of movement and an abutment surface disposed substantially perpendicular to said actuating surface and immediately adjacent thereto in the direction in which said detent plunger moves when said trigger is retracted, the projecting end of said detent plunger being normally disposed adjacent said actuating surface of said sear with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said actuating surface when said finger-lever is closed, such that on retraction of said trigger said plunger is moved laterally against said actuating surface in order to positively move said sear out of engagement with said firing piece, said detent plunger being disposed for axial engagement at its said free end with said abutment surface on said sear as said finger-lever is pivoted closed while said trigger is retracted, thereby depressing said plunger axially out of its searactuating position during the final increment of movement of said finger-lever into its closed position until said trigger is moved to its released position causing said detent plunger to move laterally off said abutment surface in the direction of said actuating surface so that said detent plunger can return to its sear-actuating position.
 2. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said trigger is pivotally mounted and said firing piece is a pivoted hammer mounted on said frame, said sear being pivotally mounted at one end with a nose-portion at its other for cocking engagement with said hammer and having a depending lip portion intermediate its ends forming said actuating and abutment surfaces.
 3. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein said trigger is free to pivot between its said retracted and released positions when said finger-lever is pivoted out of its closed position and said detent plunger is moved out of oPerative relation with said sear, the longitudinal axis of said detent plunger being offset from the point about which said trigger is pivoted in a direction to urge said trigger toward its released position when said detent plunger is depressed.
 4. A firing mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein said abutment surface is disposed such that the force exerted on it by said detent plunger urges said sear toward cocking engagement with said hammer. 